Synkroniciti is thrilled to welcome Californian writer and poet Shelly Lowenkopf with “Twenty-three” a narrative poem about academia, the search for one’s creative voice and the potential for haunting and obsession that are present in great works of art. The narrator’s graduate thesis aims to present twenty three poems, each representing one of Mozart’s twenty three piano concerti. His advisor is certain of his success, and, by the twelfth poem, is congratulating him on channeling Mozart. “All due respect. Did not want to channel Mozart. Wanted to find the place in me where poetry lived…” This channeling of genius is unsustainable, and things really get weird when his landlord shows up and tells him to quit with the incessant piano noise. This despite there being no piano on premises. Shelly gives us a relatable story of the perils of a graduate degree in the arts, one that is both irreverently hilarious and illustrative of the pressure and lack of sleep that can get to the most gifted creative student. His delivery is peppery and engaging, with an impish sense of humor. ““Got to hand it to you,” Fred said. “Not a piano in sight. Thinking I was gonna evict you.” To this day, Fred for certain thinks I had a piano in the apartment. I know better. I know the consequences of channeling.”
Read Twenty-three in Synkroniciti’s “Haunting” issue, Vol. 6, No. 4, available here: https://synkroniciti.com/the-magazine/purchase-individual-issues/.
Shelly Lowenkopf has taught at a number of universities, edited at a lot of book publishing ventures, placed dozens of short stories and novels under his own name and a good many made-up names. Makes you wonder.